Japanese speed skater in first Olympics doping case

Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito has become the first athlete to be exiled from the Winter Olympics for a doping violation.

The Japanese skater is the first athlete to fail a drugs test at the Games, and it comes after renewed scrutiny by the International Olympic Committee following the discovery that Russian Federation enacted state-sponsored doping four years ago at Sochi 2014.

"I've never used body-enhancing drugs so I don't think about hiding it". "I have never used steroids so I never thought about concealing such use, and I also never thought about using masking agents to lose weight".

According to a source who previously worked as a staff member for the Japanese team at a Winter Olympics, Saito was listed as an alternate for the 5,000-meter relay and there was the high probability even before the CAS announcement that he would not have competed in Pyeongchang. He agreed to leave the Olympic village - the JOC would not disclose his whereabouts - and will also be indefinitely suspended from all International Skating Union competitions. "I want to prove my innocence but I do not want to burden my team so I accepted this decision".

Saito issued a statement on Tuesday to deny intentionally doping and said he was "extremely shocked" by the results.

The Japanese Olympic Committee said Saito was tested after training on Feb 4, just before he went to bed in the athletes' village.

Japan has a relatively clean record when it comes to sports doping, but this case is the latest in a recent spate of infringements.

The Japanese Olympic Committee called a press conference in Pyeongchang Tuesday to address the doping case which is an embarrassment to Japan, the organisers of the next Olympics, the Summer Games in 2020.